Hannah Taylor from South Crosland is all set to compete in the Bramham International Horse Trials which start tomorrow.

The 21-year-old former Honley High Schools student is taking her horse, Utrillo III, to the Equi-Trek four-day competition which involves a dressage phase, cross country and show jumping.

Hannah is competing in the CCI3* Under 25 competition at the event, which is regarded as the class to watch for champions of the future.

Hannah – who competed at Bramham in the short format last year, being one of eight double clears in torrential rain – has progressed through British Eventing from entry level right up to 3* International with her horse Utrillo, who is now 14 and stands 15.2.

“I’m really excited and, having had a bit more experience at this level now, I’m hoping to crack on a bit more now that I’ve qualified for the longer format,” said Hannah, who works at a livery near Skelmanthorpe.

“I’d like to get a better result than last year, even if it just means riding the course better and learning from what happened 12 months ago – that’s my aim.

“I’m not thinking I’m going to go out there are win it, that’s not in my mind at all, even though it would be really nice.

“I just want to do as well as I possibly can, give the horse a good round and do myself proud.”

Hannah has been working with Utrillo seven days a week in preparation for the class, which was the National Young Rider Championships in 1985 and, in 2002, became the National Under 25 Championship.

The first victor was Zara Phillips and Toytown – who went on to become individual European and World Champions.

“I’ve had Utrillo since he was a baby and we’re a good little team – we know how to push each others buttons,” explained Hannah, who was a member of the Rockwood Harriers Pony Club and also Holme Valley Riding Club and took up eventing when she was 13.

“He is pretty much getting to his prime now at 14 and with a level head on him so, hopefully, this will be the best part of his career.

“Emily King, who is the daughter of Mary King, is in the Under 25s along with a number of other Yorkshire riders, so we’ll be up against some thoroughly good horses and riders.

“The thing with horses is that anything can happen on any day – they are not like motorbikes where you can switch them on and switch them off.

“We have done an awful lot of work in preparation for Bramham and, hopefully, that will pay off and we’ll go well.”